5 sportswear trends to get moving in this January

Whether or not a fresh exercise routine has made its way into your New Year’s resolutions, January is the perfect time to have a look at your activewear wardrobe.

If you’ve been wearing the same threadbare leggings for every workout, it might be time for a refresh – and these are some of the coolest sportswear trends to watch out for in 2022…

1. Satin

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve learned to live in our activewear. This has opened up a whole world of sportswear trends – particularly for athleisure that doubles up as sporty and everyday.

In 2022, watch out for the rise of satin-look athleisure – giving your workout clothes a shiny, luxurious look.

Pour Moi Energy Empower U/W Lightly Padded Convertible Sports Bra in Rose Gold, £23 (was £28)

Adidas Originals Adicolor Three Stripe Satin Look Shorts in Black, £23.95 (were £29.95), ASOS

2. Sustainability

LJ Holmes, trainer at Boom Cycle (boomcycle.co.uk), predicts sustainability will be front and centre when people are updating their 2022 activewear wardrobes, “As well as [people] caring how and where their gym kit was made”, she says. “Thankfully, plenty of brands are now investing in sustainable manufacturing and fabrics, which are also supportive and stylish.”

Girlfriend Collective Paloma Longline Sports Bra in Plum, £35; Compressive High Rise Full Length Leggings in Plum, £65, John Lewis

Contur Afresh Crop in Dusty Pink, £49.99; Smooth Move Leggings in Taupe, £59

3. One-pieces

Eighties-inspired athleisure has been big for a while now, with bright colours and geometric patterns dominating. It looks like a big trend for 2022 will take even more inspiration from the era: unitards.

Once you’ve embraced one-pieces, you won’t go back – not only do they save packing lots of different bits of kit into your gym bag, but they’re also extremely comfortable. Choose neutral colours for a balletic look, or lean into the retro vibe with loud patterns. Jane Fonda, eat your heart out.

ASOS 4505 Yoga Short Unitard, £12.10 (was £22)

4. Periwinkle blue

Pantone’s colour of the year for 2022 is ‘Very Peri’ – a bright periwinkle blue. Pantone says it displays “a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit” – and this trend will likely permeate sportswear, too.

It signals a shift away from neutral tones and low-key colour palettes – this is a bold colour, meant to stand out in. To really channel Very Peri, choose bright blues with purple undertones.

Gym + Coffee All-In 3.0 in Petrol Blue, £65; All-In Bra in Black, £40

Pocket Sport Claude Legging in Cobalt Blue, £55; Claude Bra in Cobalt Blue, £30 (was £38)

One of the best ways to optimise your workout – particularly if you’re a runner – is to look at your footwear. There’s been a rise in high tech footwear, and now there looks to be a shift towards making sure women are getting the most out of their runs.

In December, Adidas launched the Ultraboost 22 – created by an all-female team and specifically tailored to women’s feet. Where Adidas goes, the industry tends to follow – and it could mean we see more female-focused, high tech footwear in 2022.

Adidas Ultraboost 22 in Magic Mauve, £165

How to get the right fit…

There’s nothing worse than spending money on a new set of activewear, only for it to start slipping down the second you do a squat. That’s why getting the right fit is crucial.

Hilary Rowland, co-founder of United Fitness Brands (unitedfitnessbrands.com) and a PT at Boom Cycle, says: “You want athleisure to feel good on, not feel tight or pinch in any way. Every brand is actually made to fit on a person, and that person’s body may be different to your body – so take the time to find at least one brand that is a good fit for you.”

Her top tip is to ignore what the size says: “It can mean something different for each part of the body – if you’re ‘normally a medium’ but the large feels best in a garment, it does not matter – get the large!”

The right fit is particularly important if you want to prevent chafing and rubbing when working out.